EVALUATING KHUMIC FERTILIZER FOR ENHANCING GROWTH AND FRUIT QUALITY IN PERLITE-BASED HYDROPONIC STRAWBERRY PRODUCTION

Abstract

Strawberries are a globally significant horticultural crop with high economic value and consumer
demand. As strawberry cultivation faces increasing challenges due to soil-borne pathogens, land
limitations, and climate variability, hydroponic systems have emerged as a promising alternat ive
for high-efficiency, soilless production. Among these systems, perlite-based deep water culture
(DWC) offers advantages such as excellent water retention, aeration, and root zone control.
However, achieving optimal plant development and fruit quality in such systems requires precise
nutrient management and the use of inputs that support both plant physiology and system
sustainability. This study investigates the effects of Khumic fertilizer, an organic bio-stimulant
derived from humic substances and enriched with micronutrients, on the vegetative growth,
flowering behavior, fruit yield, and quality of strawberries cultivated hydroponically in perlite.
The experiment was conducted under controlled environmental conditions with two treatments: a
control group receiving a standard nutrient solution and a treatment group receiving the same
solution supplemented weekly with 50 ml of Khumic fertilizer. Each treatment was replicated
across six independent DWC hydroponic units, each containing ten strawberry plants. A
comprehensive assessment of growth parameters, including stem length, root length, and leaf area,
was conducted at regular intervals. Plants treated with Khumic fertilizer exhibited a 13.6%
increase in stem length, a 19.9% increase in root length, and a 19.9% increase in leaf area compared
to control plants. These improvements suggest enhanced nutrient uptake and photosynthetic
capacity, likely due to improved root development and increased microbial activity stimulated by
the organic components in the Khumic formulation. In addition to vegetative growth, reproductive
performance was significantly enhanced in the Khumic-treated group. Flowering occurred
approximately three days earlier than in the control group, and the number of flowers per plant
increased by 28.6%. These changes translated into significantly improved fruit production, with
Khumic-treated plants producing 25% more fruit by total weight. Overall, the findings demonstrate
that Khumic fertilizer is an effective organic amendment for hydroponic strawberry production,
promoting vigorous growth, early and enhanced flowering, greater fruit yield, and improved fruit
quality. Given the increasing demand for sustainable and high-efficiency crop production methods,
Khumic fertilizer represents a valuable input for growers utilizing hydroponic systems. Its ability
to improve both yield and quality makes it an attractive, environmentally friendly alternative to
synthetic growth enhancers in commercial strawberry cultivation.